AN: Sorry for the incredibly long delay! I know it's been ridiculous. November was NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) so I was busy working on my attempt at a novel. And then I was incredibly busy with rehearsals, and performances, for the Nutcracker. But I am back now, and I promise I'll make my updates much more frequent. As always, thanks a billion to my reviewers from last chapter: Silver Lunar Star, Laura x Tennant, and Rwy'n-Y-Blaidd-Drwg. Please keep these reviews coming, they mean the world to me. :)
This chapter's song is Must Have Done Something Right by Relient K. It turned out kinda different than how I'd originally planned... but I ended up really liking the end result. There's this fantastic video, by HogwartsHonorRoll, called Must Have Done Something Right (Ten/Rose). It's fantastic, and I highly recommend checking it out! http:/ www . youtube . com/watch?v=AbO12V1ycdY&list=FL8eU6udWSqjO9ZFgKWh4Cxg&index=94&feature=plpp_video
The Doctor had made many mistakes in his life. He knew that. He had caused the destruction of his planet and his people; he had ended the war by ending Gallifrey and the Time Lords. It was something he could never forgive himself for, but it was something that stayed with him, day after day. But something had changed when he met Rose. When he first met her, he was fresh from the Time War, still moody, depressed and angry. But she showed him love he didn't realize he could have.
Rose popped her head into the console room. "So, Doctor, where we off to next?"
"Well, I was thinking I could show you Bewoir Cad. It's a lovely planet, really. Tropical, sunny, friendly locals. Well, when I say friendly, I mean friendly enough. Well, when I say friendly enough I mean they don't try and kill you on sight. It's sort of a tourist planet, actually. Good food, too. And beautiful landscape. There's this sort of ocean which isn't really an ocean. It's sort of like… well, I suppose it's a bit like the texture of clouds. Except it looks like an ocean. A magenta ocean, but still. I haven't been there in years, I hope they still have that banana grove next to the 'ocean'. Well, of course, this is a time machine, I can go whenever I want, so long as it doesn't conflict with my past timelines. Or future. Or well, any timelines, I suppose. You know, wibbily-wobbily, timey-wimey. But still, I think you'd love the planet. It's very charming and relaxing, and a nice break from running for our lives, hmm?"
The Doctor finally looked over at Rose, who was looking exasperatedly at him.
"I stopped listening about 5 minutes ago," she said. "Just set the coordinates already will you?" She sounded annoyed, but the Doctor spied a smile on her face, and her tongue poking out, so he knew she wasn't mad.
"Bewoir Cad, here we come!" the Doctor announced gleefully as he pulled the lever.
The TARDIS sparked, lurched and sent the Doctor and Rose sprawling on the ground.
"Oops, sorry about that," the Doctor grinned sheepishly. "She's been acting up a bit lately." He stood up and hit the TARDIS with a mallet, just in time for another jolt to knock Rose over as she tried to get up.
"You okay?" the Doctor asked.
"Fine," Rose said. "Sure you know how to fly this thing?"
"Oi!" the Doctor protested. "I'll have you know that such things like this are perfectly normal. I'm doing the best I can under the circumstances. Such as flying it just myself, when really, TARDISes should be operated by about 5 Time Lords."
Rose just rolled her eyes. "Anyway, have we landed safely or should I hold on for dear life some more?"
"Nah, we're here," the Doctor said. "You might want to change, though. Look in the wardrobe under 'B' for Bewoir Cad, or 'T' for tropical. Either will do."
"What about you?" Rose asked. "Won't you be too hot in your suit if it's tropical?"
"Nah, superior biology and all that," the Doctor. "Now hurry up and change, we haven't got all day!"
Rose wandered off into the wardrobe room, searching until she found the right section. "Blimey, he's got a lot of clothes," she muttered. She always wondered why he had so many. He never bothered to change out of that suit of his. Still, it was helpful to have a selection. Rose disdainfully eyed the small, skimpy clothing, some of which she couldn't properly identify. There was a brightly colored… shirt? Skirt? Headband? Rose wasn't sure. She finally settled on a nice bright, patterned bikini and a sarong to go over top. She also picked up a pair of straw sandals, and the unidentified item she decided was a headband.
"How do I look?" Rose asked, coming back into the console room.
"Lovely!" the Doctor beamed. "Although people might wonder why you're wearing a dress as a headband… who knows, maybe it could start a trend."
"Er… a dress?" Rose asked. "How is this a dress? It seems to fit perfectly as a headband."
The Doctor shrugged. "It's stretchy."
Rose gave him a disbelieving look.
"Really stretchy," he added. "Anyways, that's not the point. The point is you look gorgeous, and I'm getting impatient, so let's go!"
The Doctor opened the doors of the TARDIS, and they were greeted by a warm blast of tropical air.
"Ah, smell that ocean breeze!" the Doctor said.
"What ocean breeze" Rose asked, puzzled. "It doesn't smell anything like the ocean."
"The ocean smells like banana," the Doctor explained.
"No wonder you love it so much," Rose teased, her tongue poking out.
"Well, I don't know about you, Rose, but I'm starved. What do you say, should we go get some food? That little café over there has fantastic food. Plus, they have chips! How cool is that? Also, they have this deal, where if you pick your own bananas, they'll give you a banana daiquiri half off! Isn't that great? Not that money's an issue, of course, when I can just use the sonic screwdriver to get some local currency from the money machines, but it's still a good deal. There's a money machine right over there, by that palm tree. Well, technically it's in the palm tree. Anyways, I think I'll just pop over and get ourselves some money, and then we can sit down to a nice lunch, or whatever mealtime it is, and then go for a bit of a swim. What do you say, Rose?"
The Doctor looked up to find Rose rapidly getting smaller as she walked away form him towards the café.
A minute later, the Doctor joined her, the money in his pocket.
"There you are, Doctor," she said, grinning at him. "What took you so long?"
"I had to get money, you know," he huffed.
"Sorry," Rose said, still grinning, and clearly not meaning it.
"Well," the Doctor said. "I think that some fish and chips would be lovely. They catch the fish right in the non-ocean ocean."
"I might have to join you on that," Rose said, closing her menu.
"Good afternoon, what can I get for you today?" a waitress, or whatever waitresses were on Bewoir Cad, asked. Rose was pretty sure it was a she, but she wasn't positive. She was tall, probably about 9 feet, Rose was guessing, with pink and green striped skin. She had long, deep purple hair, almost black, and was dressed in similar attire to Rose. Rose couldn't tell if she was a native or one of the many immigrants.
"We'll have two orders of fish and chips, please," the Doctor said.
"Right away," the alien waitress said.
"Well, this is lovely," the Doctor said. "Don't you think? Nice break from all the running around we normally do."
"It is nice," Rose agreed. "And I have to admit I'm impressed you managed to find a friendly planet like this. So far no one's tried to kill us, or even threatened us a tiny bit!"
"Oi," the Doctor said, trying to be offended, but he really wasn't doing very well. "I'm not that bad. We've visited lots of lovely places where we haven't been assaulted by aliens. What about New Earth?"
"Cassandra took over my body, and then we were nearly killed by a whole bunch of people who were sick, so the evil cat nuns could cure diseases," Rose said.
"No, I know that," the Doctor said. "Honestly, you think I'd forget what happened on my second adventure in this body? Besides, I couldn't forget lying in the apple grass with you. I mean the second time we went to go visit New Earth. Or was it the third time?"
"The second time I was abducted by the aliens who wanted to use me as a slave, and the third time you accidentally insulted the new head of government, and got us locked up in jail, and very nearly executed."
The Doctor frowned at that. "Fine. What about… aha! Afpajo Eight."
"Two words," Rose said. "Psychopathic cannibals."
"Oh, that was then?" the Doctor said. "Right. What about Opawi Noawi?"
"Tress hell bent on destroying the world," Rose said,
"Pjoif?" the Doctor asked,
"The emperor wanted me as his fiftieth wife, got offended and tried to kill us when I politely declined," Rose said.
"Okay, fine, you win," the Doctor said, pouting a little.
Rose just gave him her trademark grin.
The waitress arrived then and handed them their food.
"Lovely! Thank you," the Doctor said.
"These are good chips," Rose said, popping one in her mouth.
"They are," the Doctor agreed, but he was staring at Rose. He was so preoccupied thinking about how beautiful she looked dressed in bright colors, with the sun behind her, and how he did rather like the headband which was actually a dress, that he didn't notice when Rose dipped a chip into his sauce. His sauce.
"Oi!" he proclaimed. "You have your own sauce, hands off mine."
"But yours is better," Rose protested. "You got a different flavor."
"Well, next time order a different sauce," the Doctor said, trying to shelter his sauce. "It's awfully rude to go stealing other people's food. Didn't your mother teach you that? Although, knowing Jackie, I actually wouldn't be surprised if she didn't. After all, how polite can a woman be when she slaps complete strangers? I never deserve her slaps you know, they're just plain spitef—"
The Doctor broke off in mid sentence as a chip was shoved into his mouth by one Rose Tyler.
"Oh no you don't," the Doctor said, after he was done with the chip. "You, Rose Tyler, have declared absolute war." He took a chip off her place and stuffed it into her mouth right as she was about to say something. It soon turned into a full on food fight, each flinging food at each other, and stuffing it in each other's mouths.
"Pardon me," the waitress said, as she approached their table. "But I'm going to have to ask you to leave the café, due to your inappropriate behavior."
"Oh, right, of course," the Doctor said. "Sorry about that."
He wasn't sorry in the slightest actually, but it seemed too rude to leave it off. They gathered up their belongings and headed out of the café.
"I hope you and your wife enjoy the rest of your stay on Bewoir Cad," an alien at the exit said.
"Oh, we're not married," the Doctor said.
"My apologies," the alien said. "Fianceé, then?"
"No, not fiancée," the Doctor said. He was about to say more, but the alien cut in.
"Girlfriend?"
"No, no, just friends," the Doctor said.
"Oh," the alien said, seeming slightly shocked.
The Doctor and Rose left the restaurant and headed down towards the non-ocean ocean, which was crowded with many varieties of aliens, and several humans as well.
"I thought you said it wasn't an ocean," Rose said, looking at the people apparently swimming in the magenta non-ocean ocean.
"It isn't," the Doctor said. "But you can still swim in it. Ever fancied swimming in clouds?"
Rose grinned, and ran towards the non-ocean ocean, stopping only to take off her sandals and remove her sarong, so she was only in her bathing suit. Which happened to be a bikini, the Doctor couldn't help but notice.
"This is amazing!" Rose said with a laugh as she dipped her toes in. She turned back to the Doctor, beckoning him forward, before running into the non-ocean ocean, and catching a wave. It washed over her head, and she emerged a minute later, smiling, and soaking wet. "I thought you said it was made out of clouds, Doctor. Why is it wet?"
"Well, I said it was like clouds," the Doctor pointed out. "Besides, clouds have moisture in them."
"Come and join me!" Rose said, splashing her arms, and causing a large lump of magenta fluff to land on her head, before slowly dripping down and evaporating.
"All right, I'll be back in a minute," the Doctor said. He couldn't resist the opportunity to swim with Rose. Especially not when she was waist deep in magenta fluff, and wearing a colorful bikini that somehow managed to make her even more beautiful and sexy. He stepped behind one of the screens meant for people to change behind, and quickly got into a pair of colorful, printed swimming trunks.
He looked at her, splashing in the 'water', and looking so happy and beautiful and just… Rose-like. He knew he didn't deserve her. She was so much better than him, always ready to lend an ear or a shoulder to cry on, comforting all around her, and opening her heart to everyone who asked. Even those who didn't ask. Every day he spent with her was amazing, each better than the last. He realized that for the first time in a very, very long time, certainly before the Time War, he was truly living. He was having the time of his life with Rose, and he loved every second of it. He thought about how everyone around them seemed to think they were a couple, romantically involved somehow. And yet they weren't. Maybe all the other people were right, the Doctor mused. Maybe he and Rose had something going on that was great. Better than great, even. To quote his ninth self, it was fantastic.
The Doctor stopped his reverie, and walked out to meet Rose.
"How'd you change so quickly?" Rose asked when he reappeared. "Where did you get those?"
"They were in my pocket," the Doctor said. Rose gave him a disbelieving look. "What? They're bigger on the inside."
"Of course they are," Rose said, smiling. "Now come on!"
She took his arm and dragged him down into the 'water'. The Doctor wasn't prepared at all to be forcible tugged down, and ended up accidentally lying on top of Rose. A sexy, sandy, wet Rose.
"Oh," the Doctor said, as soon as he realized just exactly what he was doing. He was lying on top of Rose, his face mere inches from hers. She was staring up at him with large, surprised eyes, but didn't make any move to shove him off. And he didn't make any move to get off, either.
"Ah, to hell with it," the Doctor muttered under his breath, and closed this distance between them to kiss Rose. After a few seconds he pulled away, when Rose didn't respond.
"Um, well then," the Doctor said awkwardly, thoroughly embarrassed now. He tugged at his earlobe, nervously trying to think of what to say. He hadn't expected a reaction like that. He didn't have much time to worry though, because a second later Rose was pulling him back towards her, engaging him in a proper snog. When they pulled away, Rose looked around, blushing when she saw everyone staring.
"Doctor… they're kinda staring at us," Rose said.
"Let them," the Doctor said, kissing Rose again. "They're just jealous they don't have something like what we have."
The Doctor rolled off Rose, deciding that as sexy as it was, he really wanted to swim. He pulled Rose by the hand, and walked further into the non-ocean.
"Come on, Rose, let's have a contest to see who can hold their breath longer," the Doctor said.
"With you?" Rose said. "No way!"
"Aw, why not?" The Doctor pouted.
"What about your 'superior biology' and all that? And your respiratory bypass system? It would be cheating for you!"
"Well, I suppose," the Doctor admitted. "Fine. Anyways, snogging you is more fun."
Rose blushed, but the Doctor just pulled her towards him and kissed her again. He decided he rather liked kissing Rose.
"Rose, I…" the Doctor trailed off. He was trying to think of a way to tell her how much she meant to him. It was more than just love. People use love to refer to cats! That alone proved it. The Doctor didn't much like cats, not after the run-in with the cat nuns. He wished he could think of some way to truly express how he felt about her. There was a way he could say it in Gallifreyan, but she wouldn't understand, and the TARDIS didn't translate Gallifreyan.
"I know, Doctor," Rose said, as if she could somehow read his mind. He wouldn't be surprised if she could, actually. His Rose was very clever.
"Anyways," the Doctor said. "You, Rose Tyler, are looking entirely too non-magenta, and non-fluffy."
Rose looked puzzled for a second, but it was all cleared up as the Doctor splashed the 'water' towards her, landing a blob of the magenta fluff right in her face.
"Oh no you don't," Rose said. "We might not have been able to see the outcome of our food fight, but I guarantee you I will win this one."
With that she send a shower of magenta fluff flying towards him. It turned into a full-on war, each tackling each other and dunking each other, and splashing each other, until finally the Doctor leaned back, gasping for breath as he floated.
"Okay, okay, you win," the Doctor said. "You, Rose Tyler, fight dirty. But, as you did indeed win, how about I treat you to a banana daiquiri?"
"It's a deal," Rose said.
They headed over to the banana grove, after Rose put back on her sarong, and the Doctor changed into his regular attire. The Doctor showed Rose how to tell when a banana was perfectly ripe, and how to pick it without damaging the look of it at all. He also showed her how to peel it properly, so it looked perfect. After several bananas had been eaten as a snack, they each took a banana to the café, and got their banana daiquiri's half-off, as promised.
"Well, thank you," Rose said, as they headed back to the TARDIS. "That was a lovely day. And completely peaceful! I have to say, I'm shocked. Guess there's always a first, huh?"
"Ah, but now you've jinxed it," the Doctor said.
Rose just rolled her eyes, but when they got to where the TARDIS had previously been parked, it wasn't there. After a lot of searching, some questioning, and a brief chat with the head of government, they found out that they had violated Bewoir Cad's strict parking rules, and, as a result, they were sentenced to jail. They managed to escape, find the TARDIS, and close the doors just before the aliens got in.
"So, what were you saying about a peaceful trip?" The Doctor asked.
Rose just laughed. "I guess we really can't go anywhere without being attacked!"
"Better with two?"
"Always," Rose said, taking his hand.
The Doctor kissed Rose again before she went to go take a shower. As he watched her go, he couldn't help but think how lucky he was. He had no idea what he'd done to deserve her, but he must have done something good at some point. She had appeared in his life just when he needed her the most, taking control of it, and him, and helping him. He might not have deserved her, but if life was going to throw amazing things in his path, he certainly wouldn't complain.
AN: Review, please! :)
